29 Years Old & Getting the Sleeve

[VSGandMe2011 (DisneyMomma) 20]

I'm 34 and am hoping to have my VSG in Feb/March 2011. I've told my DH (obviously!), my BFF and her hubby. That's IT. I won't be telling anyone else until the night before my surgery, then we'll tell our parents and siblings. I have a really rocky relationship with my parents and I know they won't be supportive. I've been above 200 lbs since 1999....it's been long enough. I want to see my kids grow up, get married, enjoy my grandkids......I want to enjoy my kid's childhoods and a much more active life with my hubby! I'd love to play volleyball with him in our church league, but I'm just too fat!! And I want the weight gone FOREVER. Not just for 6 months. After I have surgery and when people start asking me about how I'm losing so much weight, here's what I plan on telling them....

"It wasn't the "easy" option to have surgery, it was the "best" option for me. I've tried for many years to lose the weight and KEEP it off....nothing else has worked! I'm not saying that surgery is the best option for everyone but it was for me and I only have myself to worry about!"

If I have anyone that decides to be negative and give me their opinion about how wrong I was.....i will politely ask them to stop and if they don't, I will walk away. I'm a grown up and I don't have to take negativity from anyone!

Anyway! GL to you!!!

[Lila21 36]

I feel similarly. I am pre-op, and when I've shared my interest in WLS with people, the response has been overwhelmingly negative. I think people feel it's very extreme, and they fear something bad will happen to me. Also, the majority of the people in my life are not overweight, so they really don't understand what a struggle it is. They can't understand why diet and exercise are not enough for me. So, for me, I am keeping it to my two best friends and this group until I am pretty well post-op. After that, I might share it. But, I have enough of my own fears and worries to deal with, I don't need everyone else's, too!!

[2Fluffy 0]

My surgery is secret, too. Only my husband, mom and best friend know. I started to tell a couple people last week, but when the subject came up they were so negative I just kept my mouth shut. They can wonder why I'm suddenly losing weight after being unsuccessful for 20 years! At least I have you guys to talk to! My surgery is on December 1. I am very excited, but having trouble choking down the Protein drinks. I've been reading that most people like nectar better, so tomorrow morning I'm off to the store! 12 more days!

[2Fluffy 0]

nectar is the BOMB!!! It's so much better than the other Protein powders I've tried. I can live with using that as a Protein supplement for the rest of my life, and it comes in about ten flavors. I wouldn't call it delicious, the way Pepsi is delicious, but it is definitely drinkable and not thick and nasty at all. That's all I wanted to say.

[Dawn 16]

I totally understand it being a very personal decision to make and best of luck to you!!! I choose to tell people! I am actually keeping a blog on it and putting it on Facebook and it has sparked A LOT of great Support and questions and I'm all about educating others!! A few friends contacted me in private to really talk about it because they always felt so ashmand to think about doing it but since I've been so open with them they are really considering it now!!!

I have a good friend that had RNY and she didn't tell most people. When asked how she lost the weight she would tell them she stopped going out to eat, started walking more and eating right!!!

[danitay 2]

Hey I am 24 and I just got sleeve on monday I went with Puget sound surgical, I am from canada so I was self pay... but with the wonderful doctors there and the care you recieved after for 2 years will be worth it for sure!!!!

I am in the Puget sound. NW Washington. I was going to have mine done in Seattle however I am a self pay and doing more research have found that I an very comfortable with the idea of going to Mexico for Dr. A. I hope to get scheduled this week or next.

[danitay 2]

Hey I am 24 and I just got sleeve on monday I went with Puget sound surgical, I am from canada so I was self pay... but with the wonderful doctors there and the care you recieved after for 2 years will be worth it for sure!!!!

I am in the Puget sound. NW Washington. I was going to have mine done in Seattle however I am a self pay and doing more research have found that I an very comfortable with the idea of going to Mexico for Dr. A. I hope to get scheduled this week or next.

[jane 2]

Hi there,

I'm 29 and was just sleeved on Monday. I think that telling a few trusted people wouldn't be such a bad thing. I have kind of kept it as an ask and I will tell thing. People know that I've had surgery, and anyone who wants any more information is welcome to ask me. People have been very supportive. Most important has been my family. If I didn't tell anyone at all, it would have been really hard to get around to all the appointments and leave my mom with my son. Anyway, sorry for the rambling. Just wanted to say hello.

[bayoulady 1]

There is no right or wrong in choosing weather or not to tell others. It's just what's best for that individual just like the choice to have the surgery in the first place. I have decided to stop the "haters" in their tracks. No need for a did she or didn't she Water cooler conversation. I have proudly told everyone that I was out on leave for weight loss surgery and then gave them the "You got somethin' to say?" look LoL. So far no takers.

[Secret Surgery 34 4]

I did it!!! I'm officially on the loser's bench. I've had my sleeve for 5 hours now. There was a small hacial(sp) hyrnea(sp) that he had to repair. The pain on a scale of one to ten being the worst is 6/7, but more drugs were just administered to help. Have been taking short walks, and sitting up is much better than laying down. The worst thing overall is not being able to drink anything, I am soooo thirsty.

So now that the surgery is over, I think I'm going to tell people about the surgery. If they ask, I feel it's only fair to tell them in case they have the same underlying weight loss issues. I was more worried about telling people prior to the surgery because I didn't want to deal with the negativity and the people who would try to change my mind, but now that I've had the surgery I really don't care what they think. It's a personal choice right .

[twoboysandagirl 109]

First of all... how are you Secret surgery 34? How did everything go?

I enjoyed reading this post and all the comments. I am 33 and having surgery on the 6th of December. I have been leary about telling people because i didnt want to hear the negitive comments. When we started this process in May I told a small group of ladies (5) at church and asked them to pray that I would make the decision God would want me to make. I recieved such hurtful responses that I cried. Then my husband and I decided that it was going to be difficult to talk to people about this. After telling my family about my decision I realized that even those who love me (and may I add that my two sisters are currently struggling to lose weight using weight loss drugs) said they were supportive but their questions were very negative. They say they are behind me but they are scared and that this is so drastic...but then they also say oh I know you have tried everything you can to keep the weight off. For now we are only telling people we have to. I have decided that if my family or friends want to say negative things about my decision I will tell them I made the decision and it was best for me, my husband and my children and they can keep all the other comments to themselves. Besides they can sit back and watch me succed this time because I am going to lose this weight for good!

[Secret Surgery 34 4]

(2boys & a girl) so sorry the hear. About the women at church. I swear no one wants to see us succed. I think we got all the support right here.

So when they tell you to get up and walk after surgery. DO IT. I feel sooo much better standing and walking. Makes the gas pass easier. The breathing exercise helps alot too. Don't forget SF cough drops. I can't have anything for the first 24 hrs but after that I am sucking them down. Throat is a little sore. I am a little hungry but not bad at all considering I haven't eaten in over a day.

Going to try and sleep I will check in the morning.

[emilygrace 5]

Twoboysandagirl - I was lucky, my immediate family (parents and siblings) were shocked at my announcement (I only told them a few weeks before surgery) but impressed by my research - I kind of launched into my reasoning and research and answered all their questions before they asked, and they could see I had done my homework and made up my mind.

I did NOT tell other people for the reasons you found - people love to dump on your plans and I was nervous enough without the negativity. Plus, if I'm honest, I think deep down I was doubtful that that even this would be successful because nothing else had been. I didn't want to disappoint anyone - I am a huge people pleaser and perfectionist!

I ended up telling my best friend, and she's just as excited by my successes as I am so far, although I'm sure she doesn't really understand as she is slender.

[newnatalie 20]

Hi Secret Surgery,

I totally respect your decision to remain private. I will be sleeved this Tuesday, November 30 and I have decided "I am telling"! You can check out my "Why is WLS a Secret?" blog on this site. I explain in great detail my feelings about this issue.

Basically, as an overweight person, I know so many people who lied about having surgery and I wish they would have told me the truth. I left their presence feeling like a fat failure! Why couldn't I lose weight like them? Little did I know they had a secret weapon I was not privy to.

You don't have to tell the world, but when someone sincerely asked how you lost the weight, consider encouraging them by being honest. You'll be able to separate those who really desire help from those who are just being nosey!

Congrats!

[mightbebest 0]

I was 29 when I was sleeved...recently turned 30 and have kept my VSG private aside from immediate family.

hi i'm 30 and goimg to get sleeved soon maybe and also going to keep my surgery private how are u feeling?